Official Gadgeteer Hands On Review: E&B Slipper Visor Case
by Don Damiani
Last date revised: 03/07/2000

The Slipper Visor Case by E&B Cases is a leather play through case for the Handspring Visor. You can get it with or without the belt clip. This review is for the belt clip version.

Like many of the other E&B cases reviewed on this web site, the Slipper Visor Case is very well constructed. The leather is first grade, and the fit is well designed. But from the moment that I slipped my visor into it, I just didn't like the way that the cover closed. The Slipper Visor Case uses Velcro on both sides of the case to hold down the cover. With the Visor having a slight curve at the bottom, the case never closed all the way. There is nothing on the tip of the cover to hold it down. In addition, I didn't like the clear plastic sheet that covers the Visor's buttons. For those of us that switched to Visors from the Palms, the firm, snappy, buttons are high on my click-factor scale. This clear plastic button cover removes the button feel from the Visor, and in my opinion, it isn't needed. That said, the case has openings for the stylus and IR port, and is otherwise a very snug design. 

There is also the issue of the Visor's goofy cradle. (That's right, I said it's GOOFY!) I can say this because it has the strangest design, and it requires that the Visor be placed in the cradle on an angle and pushed back to make contact with the "male" post that sticks out of the cradle. And even though the Slipper Visor Case has all of the appropriate openings for the cradle to sync, I could not get the Visor to make contact while in the Slipper Visor Case unless I pushed down on the Visor pretty hard. Perhaps this would lessen with time as the leather wore a bit. And if you are looking for a nice leather case and only sync once per day, this may not be an issue.

The Slipper Visor Case is the first leather case I have reviewed for the Visor, and although there are some things that I don't like about it, there are some things that I do like about it. First of all it is slimmer than some of the other Visor cases. The leather is thin, and attractive, although it may not be the most protective of materials. The belt clip is one of the best belt clips around, (it's the one with the metal button instead of the plastic one), and it doesn't add a lot to the overall size if you want to occasionally wear it in the shirt pocket.  And if you really want to be able to sync all the time with it in the case, and you sync a lot, you can always get the Visor Hotsync Cable and the "cradle fit" problem would not be an issue.

Overall I think that I'll keep looking for a better leather case. Unless E&B changes the design to include something that will keep the cover closed at the bottom tip of the Visor, I would be afraid that it would catch on something and perhaps open while hanging on my belt.

Price: $31.46 with the belt clip / $28.76 without the belt clip.

Pros:
Play through.
Can sync while in the case, if you use the hotsync cable.

Cons:
Clear plastic covers buttons.
Velcro doesn't hold the cover down all that well.

Let me know your comments on the Slipper Visor Case and read what others have to say.